An Unlikely Friend. part 1

Chapter 9: The Nero Assault

Nero

The light flowing through the curtains is just starting to dim and Nero’s growing pit of despair continues unabated as he lies on his back staring at the ceiling. Finally the door opens and the Woman walks through, carrying two small bags and some sticks. Nero has a double look when he sees she is wearing a pretty, light yellow summer dress and her hair is hanging down freely.

She glares at him. “I don't even want to hear it. I'll do whatever it takes to get a job done and that includes wearing dresses.” She tosses him one of the bags. “A few pieces of candy left if you want.”

“Thanks.” Nero opens the bag and swallows a few chocolate covered raisins. “So what's going on?”

“Everything’s in order and the time is approaching.” She sets the other bag and sticks down and looks at the apples on the table with darts poking out of everything but them. “Did you manage to ever hit them?”

Nero puts the raisin he was just about to eat down. “A few times.”

“Well I hope for your sake you get it right when you need it.” She grabs the blowgun and starts to shave off the dark stain with a knife turning it into an ugly looking piece of wood. She takes the leather pouch she made with a strap for the darts and fills it with a thick, pasty sleeping potion. “Once you’re free and get a chance, all you need to do is put the darts in here. They'll be covered with the sleeping potion so you can use them right when you need. Just remember the potion will work faster closer to the head or the heart, especially next to large arteries. Now take off one of your shoes and loosen the laces.”

The Woman grabs the sticks, blowgun, a long piece of cloth, darts, and the holder. She takes the leather dart holder and ties it to his ankle and then stacks several darts into the blowgun, sealing them in with wads of cloth on both ends. Using the sticks and the blowgun, she makes an ankle brace with a wrapping of cloth, and then roughly pulls his untied shoe back on and over the brace. Nero winces but keeps his mouth shut.

She steps back to look at it. “Perfect, now you just need to act pathetic and we should have an excellent little disguise.”

Shouldn't be a problem. The strain on Nero's nerves makes it hard to breath.

“Remember to watch the time. Should be about nineish when I create the distraction.”

Nero looks at the little numbers on his watch. “Okay.”

“You’re gong to need your energy, so I got you some fish and chips for dinner. You can scarf that down before we leave.” She walks over to the bag on the table and pulls out a white box.

Nero looks inside; his nerves have completely eroded any appetite. I couldn't stuff any food down if my life depended on it. He looks back at her with a lack of enthusiasm.

“I don't care if you’re not hungry, you’re going to eat the food with or without my help,” she says coolly.

Under the constant stone cold glare of the Woman, Nero manages to stuff down the entire meal.

“Good work.” The Woman stands up and heads for the door. “I need to get something from the front desk. We'll leave when I get back and you’re ready.”

As Nero waits a sharp pain grows in his stomach and his vision starts to blur. By the time the woman gets back, he is nauseous, his stomach feels like someone stabbed him, and he can hardly focus on anything. “I'm... not... feeling so... good.”

The Woman smiles. “Excellent.” She rolls a wheel chair next to him. “Hop on.”

Nero struggles to move, but everything hurts and he feels like he's about to lose his dinner. What's wrong with me? I don't think I can do this.